342 owners - check your forward portholes

[dwmackenzie]

I removed mine to recaulk them and found some rotted balsa core.  It will be an easy fix to repair.  Glad I caught it in time.  My boat is a 2002, time to recaulk the trim to keep that water out.  I suggest you all do the same...and more importantly around the top hatches.  Write if you need any tips on what to do.

[Rinker342]

Thanks for the tip.  I have a leak in the forward cabin someplace and am planning on some caulking in the srping.  Talking to the service manager in my marina, he said to look around the running lights as well.... a common place for leakage in the 342, he says.

[bloving]

Another place and window you will want to look at is the bathroom window.  This unit is a two-piece unit and left unattended will allow water to enter where the two come together.  I found this with mine and had to repair the wood around the window and reseal the window.

[BarnegatBill]

dwmackenzie- would love to hear how to tackle re-caulking the porthole.  I have a 2002 310 and notice when cleaning the boat out at the end of last season that the front port V berth was wet under the cushion.  Do you tackle from inside I assume?  Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks,
BB

[Lifes Good]

I have a 2006 320 and the Port forward window always got the forward bed wet when it rained really hard.  I first pulled the faberic from the hull up to the port loose and put a small towel between to catch the drips.  After a year of that I was fed up.  So I pulled the window pins and unscrewed the port from the inside.  Then pulled the chrome flange off on the outside.  I filled the entire gap with 5400 and put it all back together and NO LEAKS!  About a 2 hour job.

LG

[Tom]

Ahh yes. Had the same issue with my 2005 320. I tried removing the chrome trim rings but found that to be difficult. I simply caulked around the top and sides of that chrome trim ring and have not had another issue with it.

[fmrosell]

I too fought that battle with forward berth carpet rot and water from "somewhere around the porthole"....

I lost the fight with the "removal of the porthole window"....just would not come out, and I was not about to break it trying....I caulked all the way around inside and outside...including the rub rail and stanchion screws....since I did not know where the leak was....I used exterior silicone, for outdoor marine use. 

Do not use 5200 above the waterline!  In the sun, it eventually turns into talcum powder dust....(don't ask me how I know).

[BarnegatBill]

Thanks everyone- this project is now on my list!  Will look to tackle right after St Pat's Day.

[BarnegatBill]

Hey Guys- need some help on my 2002 310...

As mentioned earlier, I found some wetness direclty under the foward porthole when we removed the v-berth cushion at the end of last season. I'm a boater newbie (starting 3rd season), so I realized that in previous seasons, I never checked this area, so not sure how long this has been going on. 

I removed the shelf, and got the porthole out ok but found that the material between the outside fiberglass and the inside wall is soaking wet!  When I touched it, it's sort of felt like pudding consistency, ugh!  . The area seemed structurally strong- the chrome ring is secured real tight- could not move at all

I also found what I think was a gasket, about 1/3 was missing, adhered to the chrome frame.  I pealed the remainder off, and headed to the marina store.  Of course they did not have the 'gasket', so they said to just use chalk in place of a gasket.

So my questions:
1) what do I do with the wet fiberboad?  I was afraid to dig down until I got some advise, so not sure how deep the rot is.
2) do I order a 'gasket' from Rinker, or somewhere else?
3) or can I just fill the void with silicon?


Last thing: the boat's in the water already, but if I need to get to the porthole from outside, I can probably do from the t-dock.

Thanks in advance.

[Lifes Good]

You need to get the bad wood out and replaced. Don't worry about the  gasket.  Use 3m 5400 not 5200.  Fyi ordering 3rd party parts from rinker is very very expensive.  You can find the porthole and all its parts online.  I found the screen last year and got two for 20..

[Capt Ron]

The water coming into the front berth on a 320 must be from the rub rail. I leave these portholes open even during driving rain and no water comes in. They are facing downward with the bow of the boat so no problem with rain coming in unless of a strong wind... If this area is rotten from water intrusion check your rub rail.

[BarnegatBill]

Capt Ron-
I will have to confirm when I get back to the boat, but I think the rot is only on the bottom of the porthold.

Given this, you still think it's the rub rail? 

And if so, when you say 'check your rub rail'- do you mean checking the tighteness of all the screws, or actually taking off the rail and looking for extra holes, etc. that I have read about in other posts?

Thx

[Lifes Good]

If the wood and Inside hull is damp or wet right below the porthole then its the porthole. When raining the water runs down the bow and drips off the rubrail at the top of the window.  I also pulled the stainless rub off up to the bow.  There are several drill holes not sealed by the factory.  Fiil those too.  The holes are left from the temporary fastening of the upper deck to the hull.  For whatever reason rinker did not caulk these as they should have.

[Capt Ron]

Capt Ron-
I will have to confirm when I get back to the boat, but I think the rot is only on the bottom of the porthold.

Given this, you still think it's the rub rail? 

And if so, when you say 'check your rub rail'- do you mean checking the tighteness of all the screws, or actually taking off the rail and looking for extra holes, etc. that I have read about in other posts?

Thx

First inspect the rub rail to make sure it is caulked completely. Rinker only caulks the bottom of the rub rail. I had some voids on mine so I went ahead an caulked it. I don't have any leaks in mine, however, others have removed the rub rail and re-caulked it and installed back completely sealed. If your boat is an 06 then it's been leaking since day one if you have rotten wood already. That's why I thought the rub rail should be considered after the window is fixed. To fix the rot, I would dry the area as much as possible and then inject fiberglass resin into the wood using a large syringe. Let it cure and then re-install the window. Just my two cents worth. 

[Black_Diamond]

I've done this on my 342..posted up rather specific instructions if you can find the posts.  Can only do it right while out of the water.  About 2+ hours per window and a full 15oz tube of caulk each too.